April 2014 Review

I am still able to keep roughly up to date with my  time plan. Although I find I seem to do things in 'chunks' when I have a sort of 'creative spurt', but it all gets done on time.
in March I had some useful peer feedback on my work which lead me to make changes. The feedback was that the work was too 'pretty', so I have reduced the number of multiplications so that the subject matter could be more easily seen.
 I have been thinking ahead to how I might display the work and like the idea of circles of light. I made some 'mash ups' where I took images from different projects and mashed them together in a new way. This was just experimentation for fun and a way of trying out new learning. (Posts Multiply 1. 04.14  and Subversive Portraits 31.03.14) This experimentation also gives me a break from my Major Project for a while.

Multiply

Experimenting with Photoshop, as it is the only way I can learn new tricks, I layered two existing images and manipulates their position, colour and opacity.

This is a multiple image I made from a skull at the Huntarian Museum that had a gaping hole in it caused by bone cancer. I hate to imagine the 'life' of the poor person possessing this skull!

This image was made from a composition I set up from a rat skull, toy spider, lace doily and halloween 'webbing' all on a black background. It does not work very well on its own as I think it is a bit boring. However, I like the lace patterning and its addition of a 'pretty' and 'polite' function to the image.

I was trying to create an image that was loaded with meaning that had to be studied in detail for anything to become clear. The aim would then be to produce the recoil of shock or at least distaste in the viewer.

I think the result is quite effective. 

There is a lot of detail which draws the viewer in and some creation of depth with the contrasting monochrome tones. My 'punctum' as Barthes would say-the little detail that draws my attention and will not let it go, is what looks like an eye staring out at me from the empty eye socket!!! I think this image would be more effective if the focus of each element were sharper. The eye is drawn the the contrast of the rows of teeth against the dark oval in the centre. This would look more effective and intimidating on a larger scale.